We Aren't in Space Anymore!
by Malkavia
Summary: Ayeka and Ryoko are turned againts each other inevitably. Ryoko has problems on earth forcing her to space! And with Ayeka's new duty, nowhere is safe for the pirate. More Washu and Ryoko arguments, plus Tenchi will choose.
1. No need for problems!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or..um..anything of Tenchi Muyo. I wish I did though. Fanfic purely.

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The sun rose and birds chirped as day dawned on the Masaki residence. The house was still for now at least..like every day by the time everyone was awake it would erupt in total and complete chaos, with Sasami trying to get her cooking done, and the usual fighting of Ryoko and Ayeka, and meowing of Ryo-ohki as she tried to steal carrots from the storage.  
  
Tenchi yawned and sat up in his small bed. He of course, screamed as he woke up to the bloodshot eyes of Ryoko, watching him sleeo yet again. "Ryoko!" He yelled in angrily..but she didn't move at all. He sighed as he realized what was up. "She fell asleep with her eyes open again."  
  
He wandered out of the bedroom, immediately for the bathroom. A few minutes after he had left, the bloodshot eyes blinked. Ryoko lowered herself onto Tenchi's bed, a heavy sigh escaping. That was the third time that week! She felt so weird, her body felt slow and sorta strange. It was time to visti her mom. She may not be up this early but all the same Ryoko had to wake her.  
  
She entered the lab quite easily, and pressed a button on a machine inside the door. It was like an emergency call, if Ryoko needed her mom she just pushed the button. She waited a few minutes..then a door appeared in front of her, a sleepy Washu with it.  
  
"Ryoko!? That button isn't a toy, why did you wake me up?", she asked angrily.  
  
"Mom…I need to talk to you. My body feels weird, I'm tired, I feel like a slug, my emotions are all very strange." She felt a little embarrassed telling all this. It made her sound vulnerable, and she didn't like that. The only one she liked to bare any of her emotions too was Tenchi.  
  
Washu cursed softly and rubbed her head, feeling extremely tired. A genuis does need her sleep, and she had stayed yup rather late doing some research. The answer to Ryoko's question was quite simple, though there was no way Ryoko could know that. "Well, my Ryoko, it's fairly simple. You now are on earth, so your body is finally adjusting. You are starting to have..well…a period like earth girls..which means I have to give you..these." She clicked her fingers and a hole appeared next to the door, a thing of pads coming out of it. Ryoko's blank stare made her groan. "I'll help you and tell you more about it. Come here." She walked back inside her door with the package, and Ryoko followed..  
  
Meanwhile. Sasami had awoken and begun to fix breakfast. But this morning was different. The little cabbit Ryo-ohki was nowhere nearby. Sasami had called for her, worrying, and gotten no answer. But Tenchi offered to help. Good old Tenchi, she could always dependd on him! Still, she felt almost weird making breakfast without her furry companion.  
  
Tenchi also had someone helping him look. Ayeka walked next to him, in her usual pink wear, head bowed down a little with her eyes open. Oh how she loved to be alone with Tenchi. She savored every moment of it. She loved Ryo-ohki, but was glad for this moment she had run, so that she and Tenchi could search toegther. "Lord Tenchi, isn't this nice?" She asked it without thinking.  
  
"Nice?" He raised an eyebrow at her, was she all right? "Ryo-ohki could be in trouble, I'm so worried Ayeka! What if we don't find her?"  
  
"Oh…", she tok a hurt look on her face, turning red immediately. She knew she would say something dumb. "I mean….you and me walking together."  
  
"Hmm..yea, it is nice." He said it dryly, he obviously was not thinking on the same way she was. "What makes you say that?"  
  
That made the Jurian princess mad. Didn't he EVER know what she was trying to say? He always acted dumb to her advances. She refused to believe he just wasn;t interested, he had to be! She balled up her fists and lowered her eyes, stopping to try and talk to him. "Tenchi don't you ever get why I say those remarks? It's because of the way I feel about you."  
  
Tenchi stopped and looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "And…how do you feel."  
  
She was in the spotlight now. No way to get out of it. She had to tell him, and she was surprised he actually had asked her. "Well…Lord Tenchi..I.well…you make me..you see I lo.." It was at that oppurtune moment a loud meowing cry was heard from the the woods next to me, and Ryo-ohki ran towards them in her little human body, tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
"Well well, we found you!" Tenchi bent down to give the little cabbit a much needed hug as she wiped her face on his shirt, crying more than ever. He had completely forgotten what Ayeka wanted to say. "I wonder what happened…it's not like you to just run away like this. This has happened once before."  
  
The little cabbit popped back into her quadruped form, latching on Tenchi's head and trying to calm down. She did brighten as Tenchi reached into his pocket and pulled out a carrot he had brought along for her. With a meow she took it. He turned to look at Ayeka, who had gone silent. "You were saying?"  
  
The princess just sighed. "Nevermind."  
  
It was dinnertime when the group was together again. It was a silent dinner, except for Sasami and Ryo-ohki talking to and fooling around with each other. They were always like that. Ayeka ate silently and made some chitter chatter, as did Kiyone and Mihoshi. Washu and Ryoko arrived late. They looked odd, unsettling, Ryoko almost looked vulnerable. She bit her lip and sat at the table. No one watched except Tenhci, as he was oncerned always about the members of the household.   
  
"Ryoko are you okay?" He raised his eyebrows in worry.  
  
"I'll answer for her", said Washu. "She is experiencing some sickness being here on earth alive and not frozen and for a considerable amount of time. I hope I can help her, for now she will be okay."  
  
"What do you mean hope you can?" Tenchi's voice was loud and quivered a little as he looked up.  
  
"She means…I just might not make it here on earth. I could die." Ryoko looked down as she said it and then stood, her eyes clearly filling with some tears. She teleported then out of the house, even as both Washu and Tenchi reached for her.  
  
"Good riddance to the rubbish." Even as Ayeka said that she regretted it. Tenchi;s glare was enough to break her heart.

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End of chapter 1! Please tell me what you think. 


	2. She has gone

Disclaimer: I dun own the characters of Tenchi Muyo.

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They were all out with flashlights searching for a good part of the night. They called for her but no answer came. Sasami was in tears by the end of the night. Ryo-ohki was clearly distressed, she didn't know to go to Ryoko through their link or stay with Sasami. Tenchi held off until he went to bed.  
  
It was then that his tears came, like a waterfall. They made his face wet instantly, though he made no sound. He didn't understand why he was so sad. Maybe it was the fact Ryoko might be gone, one of his dearest friends, just gone. Or maybe it was that she ran away. Or maybe, it was because he knew how much she loved him and here she was fighting a sickness to stress her out. He didn't know what it was, but he fell asleep crying.  
  
As he was falling asleep a creature slipped out of the house. Ryo-ohki's fluffy little form made her way towards the cave, in which Ryoko had hidden herself. She meowed feverishly, she knew her master was there. A hand reached out of the dark cave.  
  
"You came for me. I didn't think you would. You came." As Ryo-ohki came forward the hand gently gripped her, drawing her into a hug. As she was hugged she became her little human form, once again crying and clutching Ryoko. She couldn't seem to handle it. "Shhh…It's okay. I know. We have to go somewhere safe or we will both die."  
  
Ryo-ohki backed up and turned her head down, a single tear falling. She didn't want to leave. Not one bit. But what choice did she have? Like Ryoko she was not developed for earth life. Ryoko was going through more than a period Washu had found. That was a sign she was starting to adapt to earth. But in her research, Washu had found that eventually the whole system would break down, unless she found a sort of antidote, Ryoko could not keep going.  
  
The scientist slammed her fist on the table as she watched the two on her computer screen. "Damn! I'm doing all I can! And it's still not enough! For a genius like me this sort of situation should be easier to solve." She banged her head on her desk. "I'm no closer than I was this morning." She closed her computer then, very unlike her. She wanted to keep researching. But the fact her daughter was so sick took a lot out of her. So she laid down. As she did she heard Ryoko wish her goodbye over their mind link. If anyone had been watching, they would have seen Ryo-ohki do some twirls in the sky before leaving the planet.  
  
Tenchi noticed his face was kinda sticky as he woke up. It wasn't surprising, seeing how had fallen asleep. That's right...Ryoko! His immediate reaction was to run out of his door, panting as he ran downstairs. Ayeka stopped him on the way.  
  
"Tenchi, what is the rush?"  
  
"Did you guys find Ryoko? Please tell me! I'm begging you Ayeka!"  
  
She was severely disturbed about how concerned he seemed about Ryoko. She hadn't even relayed the message she had received this morning! And he was concerned about that monster woman! "No we didn't find her! And a good thing too!"  
  
"Ayeka, how can you be so heartless!" Tenchi pushed past her, in even more of a rush now. He opened Washu's door without knocking, closing it swiftly behind him as he noticed something was wrong. Washu was not…working. She always was working. Everytime he came in he could hear the never-ending clicking of the buttons on her computer as she researched this, or created that. Instead, she was laying down in her chair; she didn't look so good. "Washu? Oh my God, what's wrong?"  
  
"Tenchi? I said call me Little Washu…" She didn't put any effort into saying it though, and only sat up rubbing her eyes. "What do you want huh?"  
  
"I…well, I'm worried about Ryoko, surely you must know where she is Little Washu! You two share a link." He began to get kind of a stubborn look. Was she holding the information from him? Why? Didn't he deserve to know? "Please tell me!"  
  
"Shush." She drew herself up with a sigh and headed over to her computer, turning it on and loading files. "Ryoko has left us."  
  
Tenchi found himself falling forward. Like he was falling into a dark void with no way out. Ryoko gone? This soon? He never got to see her…what about her!? Of all the people she would want to see last, it would be him. "No…she…I thought she had time left.  
  
"Oh she has plenty of time left now."  
  
Tenchi just gave her a blank stare.  
  
"Right." She sighed, hating having to talk to him about this. "What I mean is she left earth. Her and Ryo-ohki. They both would be suffering. She has time left now that she has gone, and I will be searching as much as I can for an antidote to help bring her to normal. You think I'd leave my little girl like this?"  
  
"Well no…"  
  
"Have more faith in this genius Tenchi! I'll find a way to help her, then she can come back like you want and live on earth here with you."  
  
"Oh thank you…huh? What do you mean what I want?" He stepped towards the door, lest Washu began to question him again.  
  
"I know you want her back. You're telling me you don't have maybe an inkling of love for Ryoko that isn't just friend powered?"  
  
"Um…please hurry with the anecdote Miss Washu." He closed the door hurriedly as a small crab stuffed animal crashed into it, followed by ranting about the 'Miss" in front of her name.  
  
As he exited he saw Sasami and Ayeka on the couch, both had long faces and looked up at Tenchi. "Oh, Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka looked up at him, but despite a smile she had she looked sad. "I…I have to return to Jurai now. It's a state of emergency because they saw Ryoko flying around."  
  
"So…what do you mean? Jurai is going after Ryoko?"  
  
"That is exactly what I'm saying. And I have to be there to command them to do it."

* * *

Ayeka:...You have it in for me don't you.

Me: Yup.

Ayeka: Why? I am polite and I have good manners!

Me: Plus you;re a snob.

Ayeka:...Shut up.


	3. And I'd give up forever to touch you

The charactes of Tenchi do not belong to me, they are Pioneer/Funimation.

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Okay! Now that I;m back from Otakon and more inspired than ever, here come more chapters! Dressing as Ryoko gave me even more of an in character feel, especially when I ran into the guy dressed as Tenchi. I woulda have stalked him if I hadn;t had a boyfriend! Drools

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The Masaki household was not a happy one that night. Ayeka would be leaving the next day, and although Tenchi knew it would only be temporary, the reason sent shivers down his spine. Attacking Ryoko…what could he do? He didn't know where she was. And he had no way to find her unless he asked Washu, but it seemed she did not want to be disturbed until she found a antidote to Ryoko's sickness.   
  
"Lord Tenchi I will try not to hurt her, I know you want her to be all right." Ayeka hated to admit it but she did not have the will to want to hurt Ryoko, someone she had laughed, fought enemies, and bathed with. The woman would be easier to get along with if it weren't for the fact she loved Tenchi as well. "Lord Tenchi, will…will I still be welcome back in this household?"  
  
The question made Tenchi smile, he knew Ayeka didn't want to hurt her. He was still bothered by the fact she would go at all to head the attack. But she felt obligated to do even the unreasonable, to please everyone it seemed, so he had to wave it away. That was a reason he could never love her, he did not have the head for royalties. "Ayeka, you will always be welcome here! I know you do not want to go, and plus, Sasami will be waiting for you.  
  
"Oh Tenchi…" Why did he have to remind her of why she loved him before she had to leave. Much to everyone's dismay her eyes watered up and she ran up to her room, to hide from the stress.  
  
"We'll be okay here for a while." Ryoko and Ryo-ohki had found themselves in a jungle on a planet a few moons away form earth. It conformed to Ryoko nicely and she could survive easily. Her and Ryo-ohki were holding up in a cave at the moment, having been chased down by the Jurains. Though the statute of limitations voided her file, once she was out and free range, Jurai still wanted her for what she had done.  
  
She was concerned about Ryo-ohki. She watched the little cabbit, hanging around in her human form. She missed Sasami greatly, they were always together. But what could be done? She stroked the cabbit's head fondly. Ryo-ohki herself was not as sad as she could be. She was bonding with what was turning out to be her mother figure.  
  
"I miss you Tenchi." She said it seemingly out of nowhere, though her mind was constantly on him. She loved him so much.  
  
"Mya…" Ryo-ohki turned into her cabbit form, crawling to Ryoko who collapsed into a crying heap. Ryoko couldn't handle it. She was apart from he who kept her spirits high, who kept her going. As the cabbit crawled on to comfort her, Ryoko hugged her.  
  
"Ryo-ohki…you must know how much I miss him. He is the reason I go on living sometimes. I have no purpose, the only one I ever had was for pure evil." As she spoke, she noticed something. Just why was she apart from Tenchi? "I don't get it…here I am staying alive, yet miserable. What's the point? What am I doing? Ryo-ohki…let's go back!"  
  
"Meow!" Ryo-ohki hopped to the cave entrance, ready to turn into a spaceship. As she did so, a blast landed and exploded in the area nearby. The Jurains! More blasts came, and Ryo-ohki turned, letting Ryoko teleport inside.   
  
"Damn they found me…urg!" She was trying to get out, but the sky and ozone was thick with Jurain battleships. The shot at her, while Ryo-ohki shielded and shot back. "There's too many of them!" Ryoko's mind filled with ultimate dismay.  
  
Then a familiar face popped up on her communication screen. "Ryoko. I do now want to do this." It was Ayeka. "I will shoot you down and then make sure you are covered so they cannot find you quickly. You will be on your own from there. Escape. For Tenchi." She closed the screen and blocked Ryoko before the space pirate could react.   
  
The next blast almost knocked Ryoko over. The royal ship fired some more, even as Ryoko tried to shield, and soon enough Ryo-ohki was too injured. She began to crash towards the planet. As she did so, one thing was on her mind, and for once, it was not Tenchi. "Ryo-ohki…hang in there please!"  
  
The door to the lab slammed open as the pink haired scientist stood panting. The three faces of Tenchi, Mihoshi, and Sasami looked at her, they were watching TV and trying to be normal. "Tenchi…get in here." She did not want Sasami within hearing range.  
  
Tenchi went without question, immediately following Washu to her chair. "Little Washu? Is it Ryoko? Please, is she okay?"  
  
"She has been shot down. She and Ryo-ohki are unconscious. We can go and find them if you wish, it is the only way."  
  
"Of course, why do you even need to ask?" His mind was a flurry of thoughts. Ryoko…and little Ryo-ohki, wounded. He had to help them!  
  
"I was going to go myself. I need to know that you will be there for Ryoko no matter what she might say or do while being on healing drugs or such. She might say things that put you on the spot."  
  
Tenchi shuffled. He was not good with feelings about any of the girls when they asked about more than friendship. "I guess…"  
  
"Here's the thing. Before we go I must know how you feel about her so I know you do not lie. You understand Tenchi?"  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Good. Then tell me."

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The next chapter will be great! Stay tuned, it will be up in less than 24 hours!


	4. Trying to find you

Again...Tenchi and the characters do not belong to me.

Hopefully you haven;t waited too long for this chapter...if you care about what I write at all. My chapters are short I know, but for good reason. I hate reading long chapters sometimes, and Ilike to keep people intrigued short chapter after short chapter. Any who, read on and tell me what you think!

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Washu was about to annoy her again. Ryoko was still in her unconscious, but she could communicate to Washu with her thoughts over the link. 'Washu don't you dare disturb Tenchi for this.'

'Oh? Don't you want to see him little Ryoko?'

'Well yes I do..but…you're putting him in danger.'

'Oh, and putting him in danger for you is bad?' A snicker was sensed. 'Listen Ryoko, you've put your life on the line so many times for him, and I know he would not want you hurt.'

'You don't know crap.'

'Ah daughters, they always think they know so much more than Mom! We're coming Ryoko.'

'If you're going to come then shut up and get a move on…for Ryo-ohki.'

'Gotcha kiddo.'

Ryoko laid her head against a smooth rock with a sigh. She could hear far in the distance the sound of Jurain ships buzzing around, watching the planet. Rather than expand their energy searching for her right that moment, they would wait for her to try and escape, and trap her there. It was no life to lead, hiding, so they knew she would try something.

Across from the pirate was Ryo-ohki, lying in a wounded child form. She looked happy, she had the same hopeful little smile she almost always did, but injuries were clear on her body, and who knows what there might be worse under her little clothes. Sure, Ryo-ohki could heal herself, but she'd never been shot this badly before, and it seemed being away from Sasami had taken the heart out of her when it came to trying to fight back and dodge. Ryoko hadn't thought it was that bad at first, but when Ryo-ohki had been prepared for earth and seen that Jurain army well…it took a lot out of her. Without saying a word Ryoko got up and walked over to her little wounded fighter, gathering her up in her arms.

"We have her!"

"You weren't supposed to be looking." Ayeka turned with a snort, her eyes darting back and forth, her hands gripping her clothes tightly. They weren't supposed to be even looking for Ryoko. Ayeka knew she would be in it too deep if Ryoko died. What would she tell Tenchi? He would never tolerate her like that! Still, the demon would be out of the way for her and Lord Tenchi's love…ack! What was she thinking?

"I-I'm sorry to have disobeyed orders princess." The pilot's voice quivered, Ayeka could be a temperamental witch when she wanted to be.

"You did more than disobey! Did you give the coordinates to anyone else? The color drained from her face at his response.

"Um..well naturally I did, I thought it might go faster. I have them here, A13 by W34, as classified by this planet.

"Aggg! How could you be so stupid! I want you out of my army! Go!" The man protested but to no avail. Ayeka was already pressing the buttons that would fire him and escort his ship back to the home planet. She ignored his apology.

Then something else showed up on her screen. There was a very unidentified spacecraft approaching, though it appeared in the shape of a Jurain ship. While no one else really reacted, Ayeka turned on to screen to see, she had a feeling "Gah!" Her eyes widened and her hair stuck up as she watched Washu with a large needle backing Tenchi up against a wall."

"Please Tenchi, you only have to take off your shirt…Um..unless I decided otherwise."

"Um..um..little Washu I don't really…"

"Ahhhhhhh!!! Stop that this instant!" Ayeka dismissed the guards from her control room as they began to look very very surprised. "Get off him Washu!"

"Ooh! What a nice moment for you to pop up princess! Bet you want to be in my place." The scientist laughed very loudly as Tenchi covered his face and Ayeka turned beet red..no, more than that, purple."

"W-w-what do you mean!? I mean..what are you doing here? It's dangerous." Ayeka bit her thumb. She had no real worries for Washu but what about Tenchi? She didn't want him hurt on anyone's behalf.

"Lady Ayeka, we are looking for Ryoko. With your ships you should know by now where she is located. Will you please tell us?" She didn't really look convinced. "Please…Ayeka.."

"It's not that I don't want to help you Lord Tenchi. But I have ordered ships to wait for up here, to give her time, thought they think it is a trap. If you go down after her well, they might think it is okay to follow." She took a heavy sigh, how would they get to Ryoko? She couldn't leave her down there and it was clear Tenchi wanted to get to her. "I don't know how to get you down there okay."

"Well, this genius thought of that!" Washu stuck her forefinger in the air and took a pose. "I have the best cloaking abilities ever created on this ship!"

"Well…I'll give you the coordinates over a screen link…" She pressed the buttons to send them. "Then I will try to keep my army a little off her…"

"Thank you Lady Ayeka." Tenchi smiled at her. "Oh…don't..don't worry about it Tenchi!" The princess turned her head to the side with a grin and another purple color seeping in. As she took on her flustered look she heard a blast…someone had shot down at Ryoko! She screamed onto her intercom after turning it on hastily. "Stop that! Who did that? You are fired!" She panted and turned it off, looking to the scared faces of Tenchi as Washu. "Go…now! I think they are starting to override me with the council's orders.

"We'll hurry!" Washu winked and closed the screen.

Within moments the ship had gone pretty much invisible, both to the naked eye and on Ayeka's monitor. They sped down to where Ryoko was staying.

I know, I know, it was short! -Smacks self-Bad Kathy

Ryoko: May I help you with that.

Me: You may step on my foot.

Ryoko: All right -Begins to put on heavy spiked boots.-

Me: Um...on the other hand.

Ryoko: Too late! -Grabs the ducktape-

-Nothing but pained wails and loud, loud crazy laughter.-


	5. You're mine once again

I don;t own Tenchi. Never have. But if I can save up enough $$$ maybe I will! -Cackles-

Um..hermm..anyway, here's chapter 5. Only one chapter left! What will happen? Aieee! It will be up shortly, I have spent all night tonight..4 hours , doing these two chapters and juggling other stuff. Please comment!

* * *

"Ahhhhh!" Ryoko jumped aside with Ryo-ohki, gently tossing the little cabbit towards a soft pile of leaves and moss she herself had sat on for cushion. Ryo-ohki landed neatly but Ryoko took in most of the blast. She would have shielded herself except for one thing. She tried to but when she needed them the most, her powers were failing. What was happening to them? Was she cut out to survive on any planet?

After some long moments, a Jurain ship appeared. The trees blew like crazy as it landed near her. She gritted her teeth and pulled herself into a crawling position. She placed herself in front of Ryo-ohki as much as she could. "Fine, come for me if you want! But don't…hurt..her."

"Ryoko?" It was Tenchi's voice that called. He appeared on the ramp that was letting down from the ship, with Washu closely behind him. "Ryoko!" He rushed towards her.

"Tenchi…Tenchi…you both came." She looked past him at Washu only for a second, wondering if she felt like calling her mom yet. She didn't though. She didn't want to say it and not mean it, and she just had a hard time trying to find it surfacing in her. "I didn't think you guys would make it through though I suppose with a ship like that…" She wanted to lift her hand and point. That's all she wanted to do. But she collapsed instead.

"Ryoko! Oh My God…" Tenchi knelt down and put his arms around the again unconscious woman, and scooped her up with him. She was a little heavy, being so tall, but he could handle it. Another blast came nearby, too close to Ryo-ohki for Tenchi's comfort. "Please get her Little Washu!"

"Meow…" Ryo-ohki groaned as the pink haired scientist lifted her up easily, and cradled her a little. " Sometimes I regret not having made you a tough humanoid type like Ryoko. But, I guess once in a while perfection lacks…" She looked up as Tenchi stared a little annoyed at her for stopping to have another one of her 'I'm so perfect!' outbursts. "Okay, okay! I'm coming Tenchi."

The next blast chased them quickly into the ship, and without hesitation they drew up the ramp and started to blast off. Tenchi sat down with Ryoko still in his arms, in the chair. Washu drew up Ayeka's screen again. "Do they see us Ayeka?" Although, she knew they probably wouldn't.

"No, but they are awfully confused about where Ryoko has suddenly gone to. The might take more drastic search methods." The door opened behind the princess, and Washu had only a glimpse of a council member before Ayeka quickly turned the conversation to sound only. "Yes?"

"Princess, Ryoko seems to have disappeared, but I have suspicions a ship with a very good cloaking ability may have gone in there She can't just…disappear." Ayeka almost laughed as she though how well Ryoko actually could. Though she was serious again when the thought 'Why hadn't she teleported before Tenchi and Washu arrived?' came to mind. That was odd. Ryoko had not been using her powers fully, she could tell. "Yes well…keep combing that spot. She may be on foot and she could not have gone far."

"Ayeka, we are taking over. I know she must be on a ship."

"What?" Ayeka was dumbfounded. She should be the one with the control here. How could they shove her aside? As she wondered, a groan came from Ryoko, and as the communicator was on sound still, the council member heard it.

"That is equivalent to the voice we have on file for her! What is going on here?" Obviously he had studied up before the mission. "Ayeka…no lying, it could mean your losing the throne."

"Oh…" She pressed the button by barely moving her palm. She made herself appear calm and collected. "It was just a sound I made clearing my throat." She scrunched up her face and imitated the groan, causing her to break into a coughing fit. The man raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Anyway, you can have this mission. I am done with it as I have better things to do than chase after some idiot woman." She apparently was convincing enough. As she left the man scratched his head and followed so he could prepare himself.

* * *

Flashbacks played in Washu's mind as they made the 4-hour journey home, smoothly once they were fairly far from the planet Jurai was searching. It had seemed like an easy trip, and it was. Things were not always as complicated, as it seemed they needed to be. She leaned back nursing the now awake Ryo-ohki back to health, watching Tenchi holding a sleeping Ryoko.

"Here's the thing. Before we go I must know how you feel about her so I know you do not lie. You understand Tenchi?"

"I understand."

"Good. Then tell me."

"Well…it is a hard thing to explain." The boy scratched his head. "I'm not sure at all if I hold any feeling for her…what are you doing?" He had recoiled in horror as she began to change into her nurse outfit.

"I said no lying. I know you don't just think that of her, come off it! You've been down in the dumps more than anyone expected." She grinned. "Don't make me force the truth out."

"You already are! Okay, so in my mind I have chosen Ryoko over Ayeka. But it is still a little shaky. I need a form of closure, something that tells me I could not even bear to be parted from her. But nothing has come up and I am too scared to tell her."

"Why…why are you scared of that?" Washu was devastated. Surely the boy knew how much her crazy daughter loved him.

"Well, I have been holding off so long I'm afraid maybe she will discover that is not what she wanted to hear. Maybe she will push me away. I don't know what to do!"

After a moments thought on if it was the truth or not, Washu began to pull her nurse's gloves back off. She laughed inwardly as Tenchi's relieved look. "Well, you have nothing to worry about. Apart from you is hard for her, she cannot stand it. She loves you Tenchi, whether you believe me or not."

"Thanks…little Washu. But I will tell her on my own time okay?" He stared down at his hands. "I will summon up the strength to at least hint it to her."

"Good. At least let her know she is wanted here so she will not leave ever again so easily."

"I will."

* * *

She came back as Ryoko seemed to wake. She smiled as she watched her only daughter blink and stare into the eyes of the boy holding her. "Tenchi?" It was a question; she did not know if she was dreaming or awake.

"Ryoko. You're okay now. We're bringing you home."

"I'm still sick." She almost cried as she said it, but held it back as Washu brought Ryo-ohki to her. The little creature grasped onto her mother figure easily. Washu nodded an approval and watched Ryoko.

"She's been waiting for you to wake up my little Ryoko. It seems you are her comfort, like…her mommy."

"I'm…her mommy…" The tear fell. "What kind of mommy could I be? I'm going to die."

Tenchi made a sound causing them both to look up as he did so. Why did Ryoko have to say that? Where was the positive, seductive crazy girl her loved? It would surface in time, he knew, but he wanted that time to be now. "Oh…nothing. Please Ryoko, don't dwell on that! You'll be okay…I'm sure."

"I am making progress." Washu grinned. "It's nothing great yet and when I get home I can finish it…something you'll have to take every day but it is easy to produce enough to supply you thousands of years, by which time you my be…fixed if I can call it that."

"No you can't! I'm sick, not damaged good you buy at the store!" Ryoko barked at her by that time laughing mother. "Hey!"

"You were always a little defective!"

"Oh yea? You admit you created something imperfect?" Ryoko was happy to see Washu take on a shocked and then angry look.

"Imperfect! Why you…ungrateful…" And yet all Tenchi could do was chuckle. Things looked like they would be getting back to normal.

* * *

"I'm going back on vacation." Ayeka nodded at her parents. They were working to get the whole Ryoko mess fixed, as they had met her, but not one of them had sent an order to get her. The military had more or less taken it into their own hands, as they often did with criminals.

"You're going back to that boy, that…Tenchi? Hmph!" Her father turned his head away.

"Oh my little Ayeka!" The princess was squeezed thinner than she ever could have imagined as her mother crashed into her with a hug. "Take care of yourself baby girl! Mommy is always here for you."

"Okay mommy! Just…let me breathe, okay?" Her mom sighed and stepped back, as Ayeka smiled and got back into her small ship she was using for transport only, run by Azaka and Kamidake. "Keep in touch!" With that she was off, headed back to earth, watching very amused as the Jurain ships were still circling around that planet on the news.

One more chapter! Bet you can;t wait! Either that or you are sick of this by now! XD


	6. This is where we belong

Disclaimer: I don;t own any of these characters ;;

* * *

The birds once again chirped their morning song, while the sun rose in another morning at the house. Ayeka stepped out of the house; she had only arrived back the day before. She needed air, how nice it was to be on earth again! Sasami ran out with her, obviously happy to have her sister home again.

"Everything is gonna be all right, right Ayeka?" She looked up at her sister's face with her big, happy eyes."Yes Sasami I have a feeling everything might be…back to normal, if even better." She for one knew it would be better. The whole encounter had to have put her and Ryoko on better terms. Though she knew they would always fight, they would always be well…buddies first at least."She'll be okay right?" Tenchi had been looking down at the sleeping Ryoko in a hospital like bed of Washu's. She was healing, but slowly, and it made him worry. He wished he could have held her right then, but…well, he couldn't disturb her. He still had to tell her what she meant to him, but now didn't seem like the time."She will. She won't leave us again. I think…by you being there to help her that helped prove she wanted…but you should thank Ayeka too. For her rival to help her…it means more to her then she will ever let the princess know." Washu laughed, her eyes never leaving her daughter. "Oh there will be more arguments…but I bet it would be more of a friendly competition.

"Little Washu? Please let me know the second Ryoko is awake."

"You going to tell her?" "Not yet. I'd like a special occasion, even though it is driving me crazy. I just want to see her."

"Okay Tenchi, but I have a feeling she'll get to you first."  
  
Tenchi had caught up to Ayeka quickly, thanking her for her kindness. The princess had blushed, happy she could please Tenchi. She thought maybe, just maybe she would have a chance with him if she kept acting that way. However, she had been watching him through the Ryoko ordeal.

Tenchi himself decided to walk over to the cave he had originally found Ryoko in to sit and think. How to tell her the truth….and just when? He didn't want it to be a real stupid occasion, like just blurting it out some afternoon. He wanted maybe a holiday, or a special day of the year, like Winter Solstice. Arg! He knew she could care less when he did at the time, but in the future he wanted to give her something to look back on.

Deciding would take him a while. Just as it had taken him forever to realize which girl he loved, it would take the slowpoke ages to decide how to go about telling her. "Oh man, I'll have to pick a day that isn't too stupid…"

"A day that isn't too stupid for what?" Tenchi had no time to even blink before the cyan haired woman knocked him from where he was sitting onto the ground. She trapped him down and put her face towards him. "Now that all that peskiness is out of the way, we can make love to each other all we want!"

"Ah…er…" Just as he was not ready to tell her, he felt a little awkward letting her crawl all over him. Oh it felt good, just not right, as he had not told her. "Ryoko, get off! Um..I mean, tell me, what will happen to you now? Are you still sick?"

"Oh." She stood up and leaned against the rocks, her arms crossed. "Nah. Washu managed an antidote…I don't know how, but then again, I have yet to be as smart as her I guess. Anyway, I just need to get a shot every day; I can give it to myself. I'll be fine! Aren't you happy?" She flashed a fang at him, grinning.

"Well, yea, I'm very happy!"

"Huh?" She uncrossed her arms. "Tenchi…?"

"Well come on, did you really expect me to be sad that you would be okay? You know me better than any of them Ryoko." He almost blushed, but managed to hold it back. But then he abruptly changed the subject. "You know, Sasami must have dinner ready for us! How about we head back to the house? You must miss her cooking."

"Well…yea." Ryoko decided to let her shocked look go. What had she expected Tenchi to say anyway? Of course he would want her to stay. She smiled and grabbed onto his hand, tugging him along. "Come on, let's beat that pesky princess! You know she likes to eat everything before I get there."

Tenchi's only answer was to laugh, and he didn't pull away. Instead he ran with Ryoko back to the house, letting her pull him along. After all she'd been through, why deny her this? Someday he would tell her the truth. But for now, just to see her back to normal was enough for him.  
  
THE END… of this story anyhow.

* * *

There's my first fanfic with an actual plot. I know it sucks but eh..maybe I'll learn, right? Now I told you Tenchi would choose...just not that he would tell! I need an excuse to write more fanfics of Tenchi anyway, especially with Ryoko, I'm so obsessed that I dressed like her for Otakon. Oo Um, anyway, good reviews, death threats, whatever, just give em to me


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